Method of making motion pictures



June 2, 1925.

METHOD OF MAKING MOTION PICTURES O. R. HAMMERAS Filed March 5, 1923 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ITTORNEY 1 N V ENTOR June 2, 192 1,540,213 O. R. HAMMERAS METHOD OF MAKING MOTION PICTURES Filed March '5; 1925 s SheetsSheet-2 INV EN TOR Wa/LfA WW (f BY T TORNEY June 1925- 1,540,213

0. R. HAMMERAS METHOD OF MAKING MOTION PICTURES I Filed March 5, 1925 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENfOR WITNESS:

A TORW Patented June 2,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

METHOD orMAxmG MOTION PICTURES.

Application filed March 3, 1923. Serial NoI 822,528.

making motion pictures which will materi-' ally reduce the expense and facilitate the photographing operations, whereby the preparation and arrangement of a large portion of the fixed scenery or sets may be dispensed with, while only a relatively small portion of such scenery is necessary in order n to make a. complete picture.

Another object is to rovide an improved method for photograp ling interior ,or exterior scenes with natural or artificial scenery, including the use of a transparent element'such as plate-glass interposed bevtween the camera and the background whereby that portion of the scene in which the action takes place may be photographed through the transparent element, while complementary scenery may be painted upon said transparent element so as to merge accurately in outline and tone with the natural or artificial scenery for producing a com pleted scene.

Another object is to provide a method whereby fixed scenery or sets for interior or exterior views may be arranged in the background of the picture before which all action is designed to take place, the arrangement of a transparent element at a point near the scenery and in the foreground of the fixedscenery, upon which a continuation of thefixed scenery may be painted, the employment of a color filter or filters for accurately matching the color tones or values on the fixed and painted scenery, and the photographing of the fixed and paint/4d scenery together-with the action ina simultaneous and single exposure.

Another object is to provide a method for making pictures which necessitates the use of only a minimum amount of fixed scenery, whether artificial or natural, before which all action is designed to take place, and the provision in the foreground of the fixed scenery of a transparent element having painted thereon scenery of a different character from that which would surround the fixed scenery, the painted scenery being matched accurately in outline and color tone with the fixed scenery so that the fixed and painted scenery may be photo-graphed at a single exposure for providing a composite picture. a

It will be understood in the consideration of this invention that it has heretofore been necessary to provide in many cases, highly ornamental and expensive sets for interior or exterior scenes, and it is the pur ose and primary object of this invention to e iminate this large expense as far as possible or at least to reduce the expense incidental to the taking of pictures to a minimum, without im aring'the results.

sually in the photographing of motion picture scenes the area of the picture in which the actiontakes place is relatively small, and to this end by employing my improved method it is possible to reduce the amount of fi'xed scene to correspond to the area of the picture in which the action takes place.

The interposition between-the camera and the fixed scenery of a transparent element such asa plate glass through 'which-the fixed scenery may be viewed from the camera provides means whereby the larger portion of the scenery in a picture may be painted on the glass so as to obscure the background of the fixed scenery, and the portion of the scenery which is painted on the glass will be complementary to the fixed scenery, but of a substantia-ll scale, so that in the photograp ing operation the outlines of the painted scenery will mer e accurately with the outlines of the fixed scenery, also the employment of a color filter which when viewed therethrough re duces both the painted scenery and the fixed for the artist to accurately compare the reduced scenery to black and white makes it possible? color values of the painted scenery tov the:

color values of the fixed scenery so that the tones will exactly correspond and merge into each other.

Thus, when a motion picture is taken of the fixed and painted scenery, itwill be impossible to differentiate therebetween, and the same result will be obtalned as though the entire scene were made from a set of artificial scenery or from natural scenery.

It will readily be understood also that by the use of my improved method it is generally possible to obtain much better results and a higher degree of ornament-ality than would otherwise be possible.

In the accompanying drawmgs I have illustrated my improved method of making motion pictures, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view of a set? of art fic al scenery in the form of an interior, as viewed from the camera through a transparent element.

Fig. 2 is a view of the transparent element through which the fixed scenery is viewed, and on which is initially marked the outlines of the fixed scenery as seen in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view of the transparent element showin a painting thereon surrounding the outlines of the fixed scenery and forming a continuation thereof for providing a complete scene.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of a setup, showing the arrangement of the fixed scenery before which all action takes place, the transparent element in the foreground of the fixed scenery, and the camera by means of which the pictures are taken.

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the fixed scenery, the transparent element in the foreground thereof on which is painted scenery which is complementary to the fixed scenery, the camera by means of which the pictures are taken, and the color filter in front of the camera by means of which the tones and color values are matched.

Fig. 6 is a view of a completed scene which is a composite reproduction of the fixed scenery or set and the painted scenery.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a suitable color filter for use in connection with my method; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a method of producing light efiects through windows, electric lights, and the light.

Preliminary to the consideration of the means of carrying out my improved method it will be understood that I am aware of the issue of a Patent No. 1,372,811 to WValter L. Hall, March 29, 1921, for a method of taking motion pictures, but my method includes certain novel features and steps which constitute distinct improvements over the art, and particularly over the patent of Hall, which I will hereinafter clearly describe.

Referring particularly to Figs. 4 and 5, S represents a set of fixed scenery composed of what is usually termed flats which may be arranged in any suitable form in a studio in a manner similar to the arrangement of the sets on the stage in a theatre. This fixed scenery, however, is adapted to cover and form a background for only such a portion of "the scene in which the action takes place, and to this end the height of the set S as shown need only be to a point slightly above the heads of the actors. In this case the scenery extends to a point substantially flush with the top of the doorway.

At a suitable distance in front of the fixed scenery S the camera G is mounted on a suitable platform P, if the same is necessary, and in the foreground of the picture at a point near the camera and remote from the fixed scenery S, I provide a transparent element, preferably in the form of a plate glass as at G, which is mounted in a suitable frame F and supported on standards F at the ends. The glass G is made sufliciently large to accommodate the usual size of picture and the position in front of the camera is such that the scenery to be painted thereon will be of substantially reduced scale as compared with the fixed scenery S.

In the making of a picture the first step in the method consists in the arrangement of the scenery S, the camera G and the glass G in the proper positions, as shown in Fig. 4. Thereafter the margins or outlines of the scenery S are marked upon the glass G by the artist as seen through the camera C, and directed by the camera-man, so that in perspective the marginal 'line L on the glass, as shown in Fig. 2, will match accurately with the margins L at the top and sides of the fixed scenery S, when seen through the lens of the camera C. Also points 2, 2, etc., are marked on the marginal line L of glass G to indicate the positions of various features or parts of the scenery S, as seen through the camera, such for instance as the windows, doors, etc., so as to guide the artist in the production of the painted scenery S which is made on the face of the glass G adjacent the camera C, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. Thus, after the outlines of the scenery to be painted have been marked on the glass, the artist proceeds to the production of the painted scenery S on the glass, and this painting is so produced that it will match accurately with the image of-the scenery S as seen through the camera C.

Now, it will be noted at this point that the portion of the glass G which corresponds to the visible portion of the scenery S remains unobscured to the views of the scenery S through the camera C, so that the fixed scenery S and the painted scenery S may be merged together in a single exposure for producing a' completed picture of composite character, and that all of the action in such case is designed to take place in the foreground of the fixed scenery S in full view of the camera.

When the painting S has been produced the artist com ares the same, with the scenery S by sig ting through the camera C and through a color filter E which he may hold in front of the camera so as to properly view the scenery S and S together, the colors of the two kinds of scenery when viewed through the filter E being reduced to black and white, so that the artist is enabled to compare'the color tones or values in the scenery S and S by properly lighting the scenery S. Thus, when photographed, the portions of the scenery S which form continuations of the fixed scenery S willmerge with the scenery S, and it will be impossible to determine in the. com pleted picture the junction point between the two ,kinds of scenery, and the effect I in the completed picture will be the same as obtain by though the entire scene were made from a set or from natural scenery. 7

It is highly im ortant in carryin out my improved" metho that the glass should be flooded with light to the same extent as in a photographing operation, so that theartist before completing the set-up for photographing a given scene will be enabled to viewing the scenery through a camera t e same result as will be produced in the completed photograph.

Any. of the well known expedients for producing the light elfects now in' vogue may be employed in connection with m method, but for the sake of illustration havev shown in Fig. 5 a mirror M which may be's'uitably positioned with res ct to the glass G so as to reflect light on t e face of'the glass G for the purpose of properly illuminating the glass to determine the den? sity of the colors thereon. In a daylight exposure the sunlight may be reflected from the mirror M, or 1n a night exposure arti-' ficial lights maybe reflected thereby, or

in lieu of the mirror the artificial lights may be directed b usual methods onto the glass G, but-this 1s not material to my invention. 1 v

Now, referring to Fig. 7, the color filter "used is a well known form of glass,"preferably of 'a dark "blue, which serves to reduce all of the colors when viewed therethrough to black and white or to lights and -shadows, so as to reveal the relative density or tone of the several colors.

In Fi 8- I have shown means for pro- :ducing ight effects through the painted scener on the glass G. For instance, it is desira le to have the wlndows 1n an 1nteripr scene such as shown in the drawings appear transpa rent,-and alsothe lights of a represents the transparent portions of, the.

chandelier may be .likewise .represented. This ,efiect is produced by omitting the paintin the painted portion. of the scenery S from that portion of the scenery which windows or'the corresponding positions on fixed scenery S,'the painted scener the painted scenery of electric lights, lea-vlng transparencies as at 3 in the glass G at such points.

Qn the rear of the glass G asemirtransparent sheet of paper as at 4 maybe pasted I or suitably held in position, and in the rear of the sheet of paper 4 an ordinary electric light bulb 5 may be supported so that the light rays from the lamp 5 will penetrate the paper 4 so as to simulate daylight through the windows or light in the positions of electric lights. In this connection it will also be observed that by turning on and off the lamp 5, the electric lights 1n a scene of the character shown may be lighted or darkened to simulate the turning on and off of the same,- to the same effect as if the lights thus produced were made. in a natural manner.

It will be understood that in the'use of my improved method only a single exposure is made of a given scene, and this single exposure photographs simultaneously the S and all of the action of the picture, there y eliminating a multiplicity ofv exposures for reducing the picture to completeness.

My method also eliminates the necessity for the interposition between the camera and the fixed scenery of ruled screens whereby the outlines of the fixed scenery may be marked on the screen for the reason that by the provision of such screens a number of exposures are necessary to ultimately eliminate the rulings on the screen from a picture. i I

(My method .while completely adaptable 'for exterior views, is probably more advanthe scenery onthe glass G would probably require only at the most several hours of work and thus reduce the cost of production to a large extent, andat the same time facilitate the-photographingof the scenes and-render a materially increased output of the studio.

What I claim is: L

1 The method of making moving pictures which consists in placing a transparent sheet of material in the foreground of a setfof fixed scenery, marking on the transparent element the outlines of the ,fixed scenery, painting on the transparent element scenery whdilch is complementary to the fixed scenery, an and t e fixed scenery through the unpainted hotographing the painted scenery .on

portion of the transparent element in a single exposure.

2. The method of making motion pictures which consists in placing a transparent sheet of material in the foreground of a set of fixed scenery, marking on the transparent element the outlines of the fixed scenery, painting on said transparent element externally of said markings scenery which is complementary to and forms a continuation of the image of said fixed scenery when viewed through a camera, and finally photographing the fixed scenery and the painted scenery in a single exposure.

3. The method of making motion pictures which consists in placing a transparent screen in the foreground of a set of fixed scenery, viewing said fixed scenery through a camera and through said transparent element, marking on a reduced scale the outlines of said fixed scenery on said transparent element, painting scenery on said transparent element externally ofthe marked outlines of said. fixed scenery, causing action -to take place in the foreground of said fixed scenery and photographing the action and said fixed scenery through the unpainted portion of said transparent element and the painted scenery on said transparent element in a single exposure.

4. The method of making motion pictures which consists in arranging a set of artificial scenery in front of the camera, placing a transparent sheet of material in the foreground of said set and also in front of the camera, sighting through said camera and said transparent element, marking the outlines of said set on a reduced scale on said transparent element, painting scenery on said transparent element so as to match with and form a continuation of said fixed scenery when viewed through the camera, said painted scenery'being on a reduced scale, placing a color filter between the camera and said transparent element for matching the color values in the painted and set scenery, and thereafter removing said color filter and photographing the painted and set scenery in a single exposure.

5. The method of making motion pictures which consists in arranging a set of artificial'sceneryin front of the camera, placing a transparent sheet of material in the foreground of said set and also in front of the camera, sighting through said camera and'said transparent element, markin the outlines of said set on a reduced sca e on .said transparent element, painting scenery unohscured portion of said transparent element and the scenery on said transparent element in a single exposure.

6. The method of making motion pictures which consists in supporting a transparent element between the camera and a natural or artificial scene, viewing the scene through the camera and said transparent element, marking certain points, in the scene, thus viewed on the face of the transparent element, painting on a portion of said transparent element scenery complementary to the scenery visible through the unobstructed portion of said transparent element, thereby obstructing a portion or portions of the natural or artificial scenery, and photographing the natural or artificial scenery through the unobstructed portion of said transparent element and the scenery on said transparent element in a single exposure.

7 The method of making motion pictures which includes placing a set of artificial scenery in the background of the picture, placing a transparent element in the foreground of the picture, painting scenery on a portion of said transparent element complemental to said artificial scenery when viewed through the camera, providing transparencies in said painted portion, placing semitransparent sheets of material on the rear side of and for covering said transparent element, and directing artificial lights on said semi-transparent material and thereafter photographing the artificial and painted scenery in a single exposure.

OSCAR R. HAMMERAS. Witnesses:

J. P. Buaaows, LUTHER L. MACK. 

